Government  adopts measures  to address gambling addiction

March 31, 2017

TOKYO- The Japanese government adopted an outline of measures to address gambling addiction on Friday.  The move is apparently part of efforts to prepare for a possible lifting of the country's ban on casinos.

Parliament enacted a law in December to pave the way for legalizing casinos in the country.

The adopted measures include removing lending functions from automated teller machines at publicly run gambling facilities and restricting purchases of betting slips based on requests from addicts or their families.

The measures also include enhancing medical care for addicts and promoting high school education on gambling addiction. The government plans to adopt details this summer.

"The government will take steps in a thorough and comprehensive manner while cooperating with the ruling camp and parliament," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a ministerial meeting where the outline was adopted.<

A health ministry survey of 2,200 people in 11 cities in Japan, conducted in fiscal 2016, showed that 2.7 pct suffer, or have previously suffered, from gambling addiction.

The ministry plans to conduct a more detailed survey covering 10,000 people across the country by summer to better understand the situation. Jiji Press